The industry has given qualified approval to plans outlined by shadow housing secretary Angela Rayner at UKREiiF today that would put carefully designed new towns at the heart of Labour’s housebuilding strategy should it win the general election.
Rayner told the Leeds audience that Labour would draw inspiration from successful garden suburbs, such as Hale in Greater Manchester and Roundhay in Leeds, and the garden city developments to create a foundation for a New Town Code.
The code calls on developers to deliver more social and affordable homes, with a gold standard of 40% per scheme.
It also calls for buildings with character, tree-lined streets and designs that acknowledge local history. Planning, meanwhile, must take into account future needs, with strong links to town and city centres, as well as public transport links to GP surgeries and schools.
Residents of the new towns must also be given access to nature, parks and children’s play areas.
Rayner said Labour would hand more power to local authorities, with brownfield development being the first priority.
“Our golden rules will ensure any grey belt development delivers affordable homes, new public services and improved green spaces,” said Rayner. “This means more social and affordable homes, and we will ensure that brownfield sites are approved quicker so homes get built fast. Together, we will unleash the biggest wave of affordable and social housing in a generation.”
Fixing the planning system
Rayner also urged the industry to work in partnership with government and local authorities, promising to resolve the “gummed up” planning system.
“I am sure you all know better than most that getting applications over the line can be like swimming through treacle, and it’s absolutely right that local people get a say, but a failing system is not in the local or national interest,” she said. “Fewer than 70,000 planning applications were approved in the last quarter of 2023, the worst period on record, with fewer developments green-lit than during the height of the pandemic.”
The plans were met with enthusiasm by British Property Federation chief executive Melanie Leech. She said: “The country desperately needs new homes of all tenures, and new towns are one of many tools that we have to deploy simultaneously to tackle the housing crisis. This commitment from Labour to build at scale while protecting the important ideals of high-quality design and social and environmental sustainability is welcome.
“They are also right to focus on the importance of ensuring that critical infrastructure is in place – including the warehousing and logistics facilities that support modern life. Whoever wins the next election will have to not just think big but be bold in their actions too – and this is an encouraging sign of that ambition.”
A note of caution
Landsec chief executive Mark Allan also welcomed the plans. He said: “The measures put forward today by Labour appear to take into account the need for good design, access to nature and decent infrastructure, which we know are essential to developing with the consent of local communities.”
However, he also raised concerns about how they would be implemented. “Any new regulation must be done in a way that doesn’t create an even more rigid planning framework than we face today,” he said. “It is also important that the introduction of new policy takes account of the realities of developing at scale. Density combined with good, flexible design will be key to unlocking value and delivering the growth, jobs and homes that the country needs.”
Broader focus
Barry Jessup, managing director at mixed-used developer Socius, believes the focus needs to be broader than new housing. “We support efforts to unlock development and delivery of affordable and high-quality housing, but for new towns to be economically sustainable they must be connected to cities and there must be an investment in infrastructure.
“Mono-use places do not work and we need a mix of housing, workplaces, education and community amenities to ensure the long-term sustainability of places and the positive social impact on communities.”
However, Berkley Group chief executive Rob Perrins was more enthusiastic. He said: “As one of the UK’s leading builders of good green homes, Berkeley strongly supports the ambition to reform the planning system and deliver greatly increased rates of housebuilding.
“New towns have the potential to make a big contribution to housing targets over the longer term and we welcome the commitment that they should prioritise affordable housing, high-quality infrastructure and green spaces.”
Photo by Toby Shepheard/Story Picture Agency/Shutterstock (14327683a)
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